Spiritreneur – Jesus, Inc. Laurie Beth Jones
I. Spiritreneur:
A. You will be a spritreneur if you:
1. would be doing this work even if you weren’t getting paid
2. you are doing this work as unto the Lord
B. A trend of spiritreneur came in 4 events:
1. Downsizing in late 1980s and early 1990’s.
2. Dissatisfaction of aging baby boomers. People were looking for significance and not success anymore.
3. Technology-internet: people can work anywhere.
4. Expectation of the new economy: you could combine a thirst for competition with a commitment to making a social contribution.
C. Spritreneurs are attuned to 2 things: “Pray for more workers because the harvest is ripe” (Luke 10:2)
1. I can do this better than I am doing it
2. I can do this better than they are doing it: there is never a lack of opportunity, just there is not enough time
3. Story: Paul Orfalea, U.C. Santa Barbara, copies were expensive and requires a long wait. He decided to buy a copier and rent a hamburger stand -> Kinko’s has thus formed and is now a multimillion dollar business.
4. Question: What opportunities do you see as a result of broken things/relationships/systems around you?
D. Example:
1. Ed Blitz: an accountant and a financial planner, who writes a column for kids about money.
2. Thomas Monaghan: founder of Domino’s Pizza, sold his business for 1 billion US dollars and is now working full time with catholic churches.
3. Susan is a senior editor of a magazine, and Angela is a publicist for a public relations agency. They quit their jobs and now formed “The Path,” specializing in promoting people with messages of significance.
4. Steve Kirsch (Infoseek) found Propel – IPOs to do charity work
a. Intel CEO – Andy Grove
b. Netscape founder Marc Andreessen
c. Dell founder Michael Dell
d. Ebay CEO Meg Whitman
II. Serving God and Business:
A. God approves and encourages making profits:
1. Parable from Matthew 25:14-30
2. The good and trustworthy servant is the one who traded with his talents.
B. 7 gifts of business
1. Dignity
2. Acknowledgment
3. Prosperity
4. Integrity – business can survive only if they create value and deliver goods and services as promised, on time
5. Service – constant evaluation of how you treat others
6. Community – create an environment where people interact
7. Challenge – to stretch emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually
C. Business downside:
1. Every 24 hours, 1,600 women launch their own businesses
2. Over 80% of small business fail within 1st 5 years
3. Rich man tends to focus on materials and themselves. “Where is the profit if you gain the whole world, yet lose your soul?” (Mark 8:36)
D. Love your job: “Wake up, wake up, and clothe yourself with strength. Put on your beautiful clothes. Rise from the dust, take off the slave bonds from your neck…recognize that it is I, yes, I who speaks to you.”
E. Your vision: when God gives you a vision, you either believe it, or not. “Be not afraid – only believe.” (Mark 5:36)
III. Application of God’s Words in the Four Stages of Business
A. The Launch:
1. He guarded the right treasure: god-given talents, dreams, and gifts. Love your job, follow your heart.
a. Bible: “For where your treasure is, there will be your heart.” (Luke 12:34)
b. Story 1: Single mom worked at a moving company, when she was again not promoted, she quit her job, bought a $3000 truck and put an ad, 2 men and a truck will help you move. Now it is a franchise and a multi-million business.
c. Story 2: Artist guards a $45 check so that she won’t clean up the clutter or let others clean.
d. Question: What false treasures are keeping you from realizing your dream? Do you have hidden/potential talents?
2. He is not obsessive about the timing of his action:
a. “Trust in the lord, and do good, dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him…Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him and he will do this.” (Psalms 37:4-7)
b. Story 1: Walt Disney lost his rights to Oswald the Rabbit, but on the train back home, he drew Mickey Mouse.
c. Story 2: Warm Wipes sold its right to a company that was later bankrupted, tied by contract, it never launched. Wanda then started a Baby Comforts with a full line of products.
d. Question: Are you constantly worried about the timing of your actions? What amount of energy is tied up by trying to calculate exactly when to get in or get out, or when to begin? Are you missing God’s timing?
3. He was willing to walk away:
a. Jesus said, “Follow me and leave the dead to bury the dead.” Matthew 8:21
b. Not lack of commitment, not non-attachment. Jesus walked away from carpenter business to fulfill his mission.
c. If you lost your lover, your children, or your parents, will your life stop? Are you too attached to the worldly things? What is holding you back to pursue your blessing? How many people gave up their happiness because they are waiting for their parents?
4. He believes in God and in himself.
a. He said, “You can.” For with God, all things are possible (Matthew 10:27)
b. Story 1: Jesus looked at the man paralyzed in fear, “Get up and walk.” (Matthew 9:18)
c. Question: Make a list of all the reasons you can’t do what you are dreaming of. Make a list of why you can.
5. He defined his success before he began
a. “I seek the will of my Father.” (John 5:30)
b. Story 1: “Give me a vision of what a good husband and father looks like.” (consultant story)
c. Question: What does success look like to you? Not to the world, but to you.
6. He didn’t work for money
a. “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food which endures to eternal life.” (John 6:27)
b. The people who make the most money are the ones who help the most people. The economics of demand and supply has shown that you need to fulfill people’s demands.
c. Question: Would you continue to do your job if you never receive a dime for it? List the reasons you work.
B. The Lurch: facing the challenge
1. Be thankful at all times
a. “to be joyful always graceful, give thanks to all circumstance, for this is god’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
b. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (James 1:2)
2. He saw the army
a. “Elisha said, “Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see.” (2 Kings 6:16 ~ 17)
b. Question: The battle you are fighting right now, what is it? Life, job? Relationship? Imagine looking up and seeing the army of God surrounding you.
3. Never make a decision when you are
a. Sad (Ruth 1:1-18) Naomi forgot God when she was sad
b. Hungry (Genesis 25:32) Esau acted foolishly when he was hungry
c. Angry: Moses angrily killed an Egyptian guard who mistreated a servant.
d. Lonely: David met Bathsheba when he was lonely
e. Tired: Israelites got tired of waiting for Moses and built a tower of Babel.
f. Question: Have you made a bad decision when you are SHALT?
C. The Lesson: through the wisdom and mistakes of others
1. He invested his emotions wisely
a. “Absalom’s head got caught in the oak.” (2 Samuel 18:9)
b. Story: Absalom, the most beautiful son of David, weighed the hair of his hair at 200 shekels according to the King’s standard.
c. Question: are you investing your time and emotion in the right thing?
2. He prepared and finished what he started
a. “Here is someone who started to build and was unable to finish.” (Luke 14:30)
3. He was responsible
a. In Isaiah, Shepherds are condemned for neglecting their sheep.
b. Story: Judge Donald McDonough’s Fairfax, VA, Deborah Mavis + Louis Swan, who are mute, had overdue rent. Judge paid the settlement of $250 himself.
c. He submitted his plans
1. “You may make your plans, but God directs your actions.”
D. The Love: living the visionary life of the spiritreneur
1. He sees people around him: See everyone around you no matter how big you get.
a. Story: Christ Hospital in Ill 1) Eye contact, say hellos to everyone 2) Before any associates leave a patient’s room, turn back and ask, “Is there anything else I can do for you before I go?” Score of satisfaction went up with “I see you” policy.
b. Story: Zaccheus up in tree, God turns and smiles and says, “Yes, I see you. In fact, let’s have dinner in your home.” (Luck 19:2-5)
2. He allowed room for children
a. “Let the children come unto me, for such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:2-6)
b. “You must become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Luke 8:16) = mindset of simple and wondrous belief.
3. He gives it away
a. “Freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)
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